Last Updated on January 3, 2022 by Sandra Adamson
The Life of a Long Hauler
2004
If you’ve landed on this page, you’ve gotten to know me through my about me page, you’ve learned about my journey to becoming a wedding photographer and now you want to see the long haul lifestyle. Or the more glamorous side of it anyway;) Just keep in mind these are images from 2005-2008, long before I started my real photography journey:) My first digital camera experience had begun. Have fun viewing the story of my life on the road through my digital scrapbooking.
Devils Tower, Gilette Wyoming
The first location on our permanent vacation together as team long haulers. Tom has always wanted to see Devil’s Tower where the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind was filmed. We had to drop our trailer at the bottom and bobtail in. Thanks to the park officers who let us drop the trailer in their parking lot! The amount of cars and motorcycles going up and down the windy road to where the tower was, crazy! It was packed.
The Gorge, Washington
A gorge we go through once a week on a regular basis, we decided to get out of the truck at the closest rest area and have a walk around. Ofcourse Tom has to ham it up and make it look like he’s cliff climbing lol.
Pulling out of a rest area, bunch of turkeys crossing.
The Arch, St Louis, Missouri
We never seem to have time to stop to see this arch. We always drive right on by, sight seeing from our truck. Someday I hope we have time to stop and visit it.
2005
The Rockies, BC
Honestly, you can never get enough of the drive through the rockies. I can’t. We come through here atleast once a week and it’s just amazing! The scenery is unreal, so is the wildlife! Mountain goats crossing the highway right in front of you, jump over the barricades and their heads pop up on the other side. Caribou too! Not too fond of driving through here in the winter mind you. Especially over the Coquihalla highway and into Golden BC. It can be a little scary!
Levonworth, Washington
Driving along, in the middle of nowhere on a back highway. We took a corner and landed in Switzerland. Coolest little town I’ve ever seen! I wished we had the time to explore it but we didn’t I just hopped out for a few pictures because its was just that unique.
Highway 10, Athens, Georgia
We run into ALOT of accidents on the highways of North America. Some we see up close and some we are stuck in traffic for hours on end and can’t see anything. Some are more fender benders and some are down right scary like this one. It was a rig going up in flames and you could hear the tires popping. Slow down, pay attention and save a life.
Sault Ste Marie, ON
There is a moose on the loose as you leave Sault Ste Marie, Ontario so you’d better keep your eye out for this one. He seems to have a hate on for hunters especially.
Shell Truck Stop Kamloops, BC
We stop at this truck stop ALOT, today I decided it was time to actually play on the caboose they have there and take some photos.
Seattle, WA
We decided to take more time off, a weekend, and bike ride around Seattle. Yes we take our bikes on the road with us because you just never know when you might need them to get around. Decided to go up in their tower, that was pretty neat. Quite the view from the very top too.
Rogers Pass, BC
We are always passing though this area, twice a week sometimes. Finally decided to stop and get out for some photo time! The rockie mountains are just amazing and such a view.
Mount Rushmore, Washington
What a talent, seriously! Pretty cool to witness in person. It’s huge!
Las Vegas, NV
On one of our trips to California we asked for a little time off to spend 2 days in Las Vegas. We ended up spending an entire 24 hours straight on the strip. I don’t think I’ve ever not slept in a 24 hour period. It was amazing and it was exhausting! We visited the Coca Cola store, where Tom tested all of the versions of coca cola in the world. One tasted like battery acid he said after making the worst face I’ve ever seen from him. Also visited the M&M store (Tom’s favorite candy), saw the pirates perform at one of the huge hotels on the strip and sooooo much more.
I-10, The Bayou, Louisiana
This area of Louisiana never gets old. It is so neat driving on the very long bridges over the Bayou. Seeing the weird shaped tree trunks that disappear into the water. I still have not seen an alligator though Tom swears he saw one. Not sure I believe him. Got to see one of those bayou boats at a truck stop we were staying at. Pretty cool. This portion of the US interstate is probably my most favorite for traveling, I never get tired of the view.
Newberry, Oregon Lava Fields
Have you ever walked on a lava field? I have. Freaky! We decided to stop for a couple of hours and walk the Newberry Lava fields, we didn’t have quite enough time to check out the caves. We’ll have to save that for the next trip this way. To see life springing up everywhere around the field was impressive.
San Fransisco, CA
Our second trip to San Fransisco. We decided to visit Coit Tower, Lombardi Road and just walk around the city.
2006
Graceland, Memphis TN
My grandmother was the biggest Elvis Presley fan of all time. She had pictures of him up in her home my entire childhood. So when we got a layover in Memphis because the receiver couldn’t take the load until the next day, I just had to visit Graceland. It was like walking back in time, the entire house is still set in the time when he lived there. Like a time capsule, shag carpet and all.
I-75, Cincinatti, OH
On the side of interstate 75, just outside Cincinnati Ohio stands the largest statue I have ever seen of Jesus. Do you have Jesus? EDIT: In 2010 this statue was hit by lightening and was destroyed by fire. They then built another statue but no where near as large or as prominent as the previous statue below.
I-57, Charelston, Missouri
On the side of interstate 57, someone is trying to make a potent point. Playing on or near railroad tracks, trying to beat the train, it’s truly not a game. You could loose your life.
Powell Moutain, Virginia
We love the days when we get to see amazing scenery. Love it even more when there is a rest area we can pull into and get out of the rig! Really take it all in!
Montana State Prison
This was another really eary and creepy adventure for us. Being down in the lower cells was really creepy. I was waiting to see a ghost to be quite frank.
The Alamo, San Antonio TX
We finally got a run to San Antonio TX, so we asked work if we could take a couple days off. We started our sight seeing with the Alamo, which I so wanted to see. The tree inside the Alamo is unbelievable! The limbs are so heavy some of them have to be held up by stakes in the ground. Very cool architecture.
We continued our tour with a walk around the city.
Elmer’s Fountain, Idaho Mountains
As you drive along the interstate into the Idaho Mountains, this little scene appears on the right hand side eastbound. In the middle of no where two fountains and some miner carts. The fountains are really neat in the winter when they freeze over too.
Vancouver, BC
We decided to take a few days off once we hit Burnaby BC (our regular run with Hyndman). Rented a car and took some time to go in and site see around Vancouver. First stop was Stanley Park, lots of people in the park today. The seagull seemed to have found his/her perfect perch!
Loved the totem poles, so colorful!
One of the main reasons we took the day off, we wanted to see “Body Worlds”. Real human bodies on display. I didn’t really know what to expect but what I saw was definitely not what I had expected. No skin. Yes, I will say that again, no skin. It was the most disturbing thing I have ever seen in my life. So disturbing it really bothered me, something you can’t unsee even if you try. I will never smoke a cigarette in my life either after seeing what a smoker’s lung actually looks like in real life.
2007
Malad Gorge, Montana
Just an hour stop along the highway we were traveling. We’ve crossed this Gorge so many times but today we had the time to spare so we stopped to have a hike. Talk about magnificent views. First time using my panoramic settings on my nikon coolpix.
2007
Alligator Alley, FL
Ok so we finally, after many tries, got a chance to go across what is known as Alligator Alley in Florida. What a disappointment, I didn’t get to see a single alligator!!! No one, not even part of one. I’ll probably never get another chance to come down this highway again. Huge bummer!! Massive!!!
Mount Saint Helens, WA
What a freakin amazing view. We left our 53ft trailer at the truck stop with a pin lock on it and bobtailed as close as we were allowed to go to Mount St Helens. It was just breathtaking to see how huge this mountain was. Truly a site to behold! We had a couple tourists take a picture of Tom and me, though I do prefer to be on the other side of the camera:)
Hell’s Gate, Fraser River, BC
I don’t know what to really say about this place, tourist trap lol. Tram ride was really really bumpy. The Diet Center sign made me laugh, a store full of candy. The views were amazing, extremely scenic.
Newberry, Oregon Lava Caves
When we came across the Newberry, Oregon Lava Fields the first time, we ran out of time. We just didn’t have enough time to see the caves too so we saved them for the next run out this way with Hyndman. Honestly the cave gave me the creeps! I didn’t go in very far. Tom would have kept right on going but I am the scaredy cat in this relationship and wouldn’t let him. A flashlight might have improved the situation. Ofcourse it doesn’t help that he made me watch The Descent, now I can’t go into any caves!
The Sneaker Tree, OR
We came across this on our travels down highway 20 at mile marker 208. It’s a huge tree just filled with sneakers. Every sneaker you could possibly imagine. It’s the oddest site in the middle of absolutely no where. Luckily for us the parking lot around it was large enough to get the rig and trailer into it so we could stop and take pictures! No I didn’t give up my sneakers.
Bumblebees
I am not a fan of these little critters to be totally honest. But they are endangered and using a 200mm lens, I don’t have to get close to them! Beautiful.
Sparwood, BC…Big Trucks
Tom and his trucks lol. The bigger the better. Always playing with the big trucks. We just happened to be driving through Sparwood BC and he saw this! Yup had to stop on the side of the road. It can get difficult to visit places with a 53 ft trailer on board:)
2008
In 2008, wedding photography took over my life and I haven’t been able to continue scrapbooking our adventures:( I have however, continued to take those pictures lol. Nothing can stop me from taking pictures. Having two full time jobs leaves very little time for my own personal projects, unfortunately. Hopefully at some point I can continue scrapbooking our adventures. Perhaps now that this is on my website again I just might have to:)
Grand Canyon, Arizona
We had the opportunity for a day trip through the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Didn’t have time to really stop. Like so many of our adventures this was short but sweet. What an amazing view and site to get to see.
2010
Limestone Mine, West Virginia
In February of 2010 we had the coolest pickup for a load to date. How about picking up a load in a limestone mine that has been renovated into a huge warehouse. It was tight down there and a little eerie with how far down we drove but definitely one of the coolest pickups ever. I was a little nervous about getting stuck down there honestly:)
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